Griffins split UChicago at home

St. Louis, Mo. - Fontbonne baseball split their games today against the University of Chicago, winning game one 7-4 and falling 10-7 in the second matchup. The win was Fontbonne's third in a row and now the Griffins head into conference play this weekend with a 3-6 overall record. 

Game One

Both team's leadoff hitters walked and followed up with sac bunts in their first two at-bats, but UChicago came out on top after the first inning leading 2-1. When UChicago scored on a passed ball in the second, Fontbonne catcher Patrick Shuff answered back with a solo home run to left field. After a double in the third, UChicago led 4-2.

Fontbonne's offense and speed opened up in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Ethan Boyer hit a slow roller toward's first but beat the pitcher diving onto the bag as both he and the first baseman went for the pickup. Third baseman Devon Tolan grounded to the right of second base but Boyer slid safe before UChicago's shortstop stepped on the bag and Tolan beat his throw to first. With two on and zero outs, Ben Greenway doubled to tie the game. Senior Zach Carel then homered to left center to give Fontbonne a 6-4 lead. Shuff doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored the final run on a sac fly by Miguel Villegas. 

UChicago threatened in the top of the sixth after Fontbonne's defense committed two errors. The Maroons had runners on first and third with one out when Vince Santarsiero landed a strikeout. The Maroons then hit a short ball to left field but Fontbonne freshman Jackson Penrod made the diving catch to end the scoring threat. 

Austin Earnest finished on the mound for the Griffins, earning the save with three consecutive stikeouts to end the game. Santarsiero earned the win and struck out seven in his six innings of work.

Greenway went 2-3 with two RBIs while Carel went 2-3 with three RBIs.

Game Two

The Griffins got off to a rocky start and trailed 6-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Boyer singled up the middle for two RBIs before the Maroons scored three more runs in the top of the fifth to lead 9-2. The visitors would scored their final run in the sixth, but Fontbonne's fight wasn't over. 

With two outs and runners on first and third in the sixth inning, Greenway singled up the middle to score Boyer. Steve Belovich crossed the plate after Carel got to first on an error and took second on the errant throw. Centerfielder Tanner Carter sent Carel and Greenway home on a single to left. Fontbonne's final run came in the seventh when Boyer recorded his final RBI.

Joey Clemente struck out five in relief for the Griffins over 4.2 innings. Boyer finished 2-5 with three RBIs while Carter went 3-5 at the plate with two RBIs.

Boyer now has at least one hit in every game this year, taking this eason's hit streak to nine games. Carter, Greenway and Shuff each hit one double and each averaged .500 on the day while Boyer, Greenway and Carel totaled three RBIs. 

Fontbonne is scheduled for an away doubleheader on Saturday, March 12th at Westminster in their first conference game of the season. The Griffins will then return home to Shaw Park in a single contest against the Blue Jays in a divisional game.